Russian Oligarch Helped Fund Trump Jr.'s Wedding Celebration

Bettina Trump, wife of Donald Trump Jr., confirmed that the May wedding of the couple was partially funded by an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin. The post on her Instagram account revealed that two nights of the three-day festivities on a private island in the Bahamas were partly sponsored by Umar Kremlev, a Russian oligarch with close ties to Putin.

The statement came after ProPublica published a story detailing Kremlev's financial contribution. Despite the fact that it is not illegal for Donald Trump Jr., a private citizen, to accept gifts from foreign nationals, ethics watchdog groups expressed concerns about the potential conflict of interest. Jordan Libowitz, vice president of communications for Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), stated that accepting such a large sum of money from someone associated with a foreign head of state could lead to unwanted expectations.

ProPublica reported that Kremlev, who runs the International Boxing Association funded by the state-backed Gazprom energy company, paid for a significant portion of the wedding, including a $70,000 fireworks display. Kremlev, who attended the wedding, is also a part of a delegation that visited China with Putin earlier this year.

The Russian president had also honored Kremlev with the Order of Friendship, a top state award. The Trump campaign and family faced controversy before the 2016 presidential election for potential ties to Russia, including a meeting at Trump Tower with a Russian operative. Still, with Trump Jr.'s wealth, either the president or his son could have covered the full cost of the wedding to avoid any ethical concerns.